Scavenger
by Mrs.PLahote
Summary: When Bella was younge, her father moved on from Renee and to someone esle, someone who didn't want her because she wanted her own little girl, so now Bella has to fend for herself from abandoned campsites, what happens when a wolf notices and something magical happens? Imprint Story obviously, Hope you all enjoy.
1. Chapter 1

_**This is my second fic and is a bit darker then my other story, but I like it because it hasn't been done yet.**_

_**Disclaimer: I don't own anything but would like it if people wouldn't try and take my work as well, because I find it impolite.**_

_**Thank you **_

_**Tia**_

_**Scavenger**_

_**Chapter One**_

_**Bella's POV**_

My back pressed against the tree, I was looking at the deer on the other side of the woods, I raised my bow and aimed, it would feed me for a while the deer, using an abandoned camp site as my temporary home, my hand made arrows on my back and my messenger bag on my shoulder, I aimed my bow and fired, getting the deer right between the eyes. I got my knife out of my combat boots and ran soundlessly over there. I'd adapted to the woods between La Push and Forks, it had been my home ever since Charlie had found a wife and had a little girl with them when I was thirteen, he'd kicked me out and along with a bag he'd packed. I'd had to sell most of my clothes for money, or food, but I kept an extra pair of shorts, a t-shirt and jogging bottoms in my bag. The jeans I had on now where stolen from someone's washing line, the waterproof coat was from the campers who had left their stuff behind, along with the long sleeved shirt I had on. They had plenty of instant food too, but not too much, and plenty of dry food and snacks.

I dragged the deer back to the site by the rope around its neck. I could probably sell the pelt for a bit of money, and eat as much of the meat as I could. It wouldn't stay fresh after one day because all the bugs and everything would get at it. Unless I put it containers, but I would catch fresh food tomorrow, so I didn't see the point.

I skinned it, leaving the pelt to dry and air out as I cut up the meat and put it on one of the abandoned plates then started on the fire and thin rock to go over it. Once my make shift oven is made, I put the meat on and start on moving my stuff to a bigger bag, so I can fit the snacks and bottles of water they had in the site and then I tested the meat. I had to make sure it was cooked properly because I couldn't afford to go to the doctor, and someone else might find my stuff and take it away.

It took nearly half an hour to do the meat properly and it was gone within ten minutes, I probably hadn't eaten in a couple of days; days tend to blur together when you're out here.

"I think I saw a camp site this way" A deep voice said. My eyes opened in shock, I grabbed my old bag and the sack I had thrown together and sprinted from there, leaving the fire and deer, I'd go back for the pelt if it was still there, but as long as they didn't find me, it didn't matter. I clambered up a tree just in the woods and watched them.

"Someone's been here recently, an animal?" A familiar voice said and my voice caught.

"Not animal, animals don't build fires and skin the animals" the deep voice said.

"Well what type of person would do that, Sam?" _He _frowned at the person called Sam.

"Someone pretty desperate; someone hungry enough that they don't have a home and have to hunt for their food." I saw his nose twitch and his eyes follow the path my feet had glided over, and then scan the area and look up in the trees. Our eyes met for a fraction and then he looked back at _him_. "No one's nearby, so why don't you go back and I can scout out there area" Sam nodded at the man opposite him.

_He _grunted and walked off. I watched until he disappeared and then I slowly climbed down and watched as the man named Sam got closer to me.

"Are you okay?" he asked me. I just stared at him, when I didn't speak; I saw him smell the air and watched me. "Can you talk?" I wait a minute and then nodded. "So you speak English?" he said. I nodded slowly again and carried on watching him. "Do you have a name?" when I didn't answer him he sighed and ran a hand through his hair. "What, not been around a human in a while?" He chuckled, but when I shook my head 'no' he swore under his breath and blew out a big breath. "Would you like to come back to mine, have a hot shower and a bed to sleep in for the night?" he asked, but I heard twigs nap and I moved so fast I think I surprised him as I hid behind a tree close to me.

"Who you talking to Sam?" another deep voice asked, coming out of the trees on the opposite side of the clearing. I knew he was getting closer and I gave him a pleading look just before he turned around.

"Myself, trying to figure out something for Charlie" he answers, the lie effortlessly flowing from his lips as he leaned on the tree I was hiding behind. I cringed at the name and covered my mouth as a dry sob came out.

"So, what's the story with this group of missing hikers?" he asked, I could hear him getting closer so I turned and made sure not to make a noise as I climbed the tree again and squatted to make myself smaller. "I could have sworn that there was someone behind here" he said, as he looked at Sam.

"Nope, see ... all by myself" Sam smiled, though even from up here it looked forced. "Keep a look out for anything unfamiliar anyway."

"You mean the leeches? Sure thing boss man" the guy nodded.

"Thank you, Jared. Get home to Kim, being pregnant can't be easy" Sam stated.

"Will do, tell Emily I said 'Hi'" the man Sam had called Jared said, jogging off.

_**Sam's POV**_

When Jared was out of hearing distance I looked up at the girl that fell down to her feet, landing in a squat so her whole body absorbed the shock of the impact. She wore ripped jeans that holes in the knees and other places that looked well worn with combat boots over them with a waterproof coat that smelt like the hikers and a t-shirt that was a size too big for her under it that also smelt like the hikers. Judging by her toned figure she'd been here for a while, also by how she held herself. She was like a wild animal, hunting to stay alive and scavenging off of other people, she had an athletic figure with minimal curves on her hips but a full chest, her skin was tanned and grimy like she hadn't had a wash in a while. She couldn't have been more than 21? But she could have been younger and this life style had just aged her a little.

"How old are you?" I asked softly, trying not to startle her. She bit her plump bottom lip and looked at the ground, and then back at me.

"Wh ... what's the date?" she asked softly. Her voice sounded familiar, but I couldn't place it.

"13th of September, 2012" I told her.

"I ... I'm 19 today" she said with a frown framing her eyebrows.

"How long have you been out here?" I asked with exasperation.

"Nearly 6 years" she said in a whisper, not meeting my eyes. In the animal kingdom, that was submission, I knew she didn't want to fight; she just wanted to survive as best she could without trouble.

"Do you need anything?" I asked. When she shook her head 'no' I nodded and looked behind me. "Listen, I have to go, but I can come back tomorrow with food if you want, here?" I asked her.

"Do you have soap?" she asked softly and then she looked up at me with pleading eyes.

"I'll bring you some tomorrow okay? Do you have a favourite food?" I asked, when she shook her head again, I gave her a soft smile and went to reach out to squeeze her shoulder but she moved back, she didn't liked to be touched either, but then she thought about and stepped closer and so I was within reaching distance. I can't blame her really, because I can bet she didn't choose this life and she's been here for 6 years! She can't be used to human contact. "So tomorrow, when the sun is at its highest point, that's when I'll be here okay" I couldn't use a time just in case she didn't have a watch.

"Okay" she whispered and then waited for me to leave, I made sure I was out of seeing distance before I changed out of my uniform and shifted.

_Hey boss, what's up? _Paul asked.

_Following someone_ I told him as I saw her run through the woods and towards forks, I followed slowly behind her so she wouldn't hear me, she seemed to have sharp senses, what with hearing Jared before he stepped into the clearing. She stopped at every road, making sure that there were no people about, something I had to make sure of as well.

I followed her for what would have been a 20 minute drive until she stopped at a familiar white house. _Charlie's place? _Paul asked, watching through my thoughts.

_I don't know_ I told him as I watched her. She looked in through the kitchen window and there he was, having dinner with his wife and little girl. I saw a tear fall, and then I looked more closely at the girl watching the happy family.

_Maybe she misses her family?_ Paul offered as he got closer to us.

I mentally shrugged and then I saw it, over Charlie's head. A photograph of a girl, with flowing brown hair and pale skin, and a pretty little smile, she looked about 12 in the photo, maybe 13. I looked at the girl on the outside and noticed a striking resemblance.

_I thought Charlie's daughter had gone back to live with her mom. _Paul said as his silver pelt brushed my black one.

_No, if I remember correctly, he said she ran away. But now I'm starting to think you was thrown out and had nowhere else to go. _I told him. He watched as I watched and then he took a step forward and a branch snapped under his weight. Her head snapped in out directing and she was in fight or flight mode, so when Paul entered closer to her she relaxed and smiled. She was even prettier when she smiled, even with all that grime on her face.

"Hello" she said softly. He nudged her with his nose and she bowed her head slightly and then scratched behind his ears, he purred and she smiled and then scratched under his chin.

_Suck up_ I told him, he snorted to her at my comment and she gave him a soft smile.

"You hungry?" she asked Paul. He just watched her and then shook his head slightly. "Do you understand me?" She frowned. His eyes got wider and then looked at her. And I felt everything.

It was like imprinting all over again, every movement, every thought came to an abrupt thought and he watched her, and moved closer, rubbing his flank up against her and dragging his tail around her body. He nudged her she stumbled back a little and he did again, when she fell on her butt he sat behind her and made sure she was warm, putting her needs first, looking after her. His world shifted and moved to her, she was his life now. I stepped out of the shadows of the trees and walked towards them as well.

She looked up and smiled then looked back at her Paul. "You have a friend huh?"

Her smile was bright until a shot blasted just above her head. She flinched and scrambled and then she had her knife at the ready.

"I know you're out there, go away already!" Charlie said. "You're not welcome here anymore, Isabella!"

"Daddy? Who you shouting at?" a small voice asked, I looked through the tree's to see a girl with brown curly hair, not taller than Charlie's thigh, probably only 5 years old. She was holding onto his trousers with her tiny fist and looking at him with her big blue eyes.

"No one, I wasn't shouting at anyone important baby girl" he said, picking her up and walking into the house. I turned back and saw a tear fall down her face and then she smiled at Paul and scratched his ear.

"I have to go, but I'll probably see you around." She kissed his nose and picked up her back pack and just walked away. We followed at a far distance until we came to a little house in a tree on the border of La Push and Forks, I saw her lob her bag up and then jump to the lowest branch with the knife between her teeth. She pulled herself up and climbed up to the tree.

"Did you get food?" A little male voice asked.

"Yeah buddy, I got us some food." She said and the little boy flashed in front of the door. He was the spitting image of the little girl, except he was a little taller and skinnier, but the skinniness was probably down to the lack of food she had, and most of it probably went to him anyway, just to keep him going, it was the type of person she was, I could tell.

_I'm worried Sam, she's been like this for God knows how long. And what type of person would abandon two of their children? What type of person is Charlie Swan?_

**So? What do you think?**


	2. Chapter 2

_**Wow you guys! I mean, I am literally gob smacked 32 reviews on just the first chapter, I mean … wow! I would say that it was all me but the idea was Lauren. C. Powell's idea that got me into this, both my stories where, she just wasn't using them, I always go to her for my ideas, most of them are great and it's very rarely that she has a bad idea. I would also like to give my condolences and say that if you ever need me, I'm always here.**_

_**And to the people that reviewed and don't have actual accounts, thank you very much and to those who do have an account, I will get back to you as soon as possible. **_

_**A little FYI for this story, to make it easier on everyone and me if he didn't have a crush on her, but saw her more as a sister from the get go.**_

_**Tia**_

_**Scavenger**_

_**Chapter Two**_

_**Bella's POV**_

It had been day since I had seen Sam and those two wolves, I had been in Forks town when Sam had told me to meet him, pick pocketing people's cash, only the wealthy looking people, and I ended up giving half I'd fond to a homeless person that was in an old sleeping bag on the floor in a park that was on my way to the tree house. At least I had a place to stay, someone to keep me company and sane through it all, when I was in the same campsite later that afternoon, seeing if I could fill my bag with anymore snacks or drinks, the more I had in storage in the tree house, the better for Nyle. I had finished packing everything I could fit in the bag before I heard the snap of a twig. I turned, bringing the blade from the back of my shorts up and Sam as walking through the woods with four boys behind him.

I was in denim shorts today with my vest top and barefoot since it was one of the rare sunny days. I straightened up but kept in a defensive position.

"Hello" Sam said, nodding at me a little.

"Hi" I said and kept an eye on him and all the others.

"You weren't here earlier? Are you okay?" Sam asked, he had a plastic bag in his hand and some of the others had other things in their hands. _How was I supposed to carry all that back for us? _He watched as my eyes dart back and forth from the bags and then back to him.

"Fine, just making some money" I shrugged. I watched as they moved forward slightly and I flinched and moved back.

"We won't hurt you, okay? We just want to help. We have food that my wife put together for you, and some other things, we'll help take it back to your place, wherever you're staying." He offered. I thought about it, and if they wanted to hurt me they could have by now, so I nodded and picked up my rucksack and led the way. My feet were used to the rough ground, so it didn't bother me when I stepped on twigs and stuff like that. I saw Nyle on the little swing I had made for him out of rope and a log I had put together.

"Izzy!" he smiled and ran at me and I picked him up and smiled at him. "Who are they?" he asked me in a stage whisper kids his age do.

"Friends, they brought us food and other little things" I told him as I put him down and ruffled his hair. He was getting big, he was five, seven months ago, and that was when I made the swing, so he could play on it, since he was getting to that age where they ran around until they were tired and then slept and eat the rest of the time.

"Really?" he said, still whispering. I nodded and stroked his hair and took his hand into mine and was about to take a step forward but stopped and started to re-think my decision then turned around, there wasn't that far to the tree house, between us we could carry the six bags they have so they wouldn't know where we lived. _So they wouldn't know where to find me, so they couldn't tell Charlie._

"You know what; we can take it from here. Thanks for carrying them this far" I said, smiling at them tightly. I couldn't trust them, Sam worked with _him_ and I didn't even know the others names.

As if reading my last train of thought, Sam smiled as he handed me the three bags in his hand and one by one a guy stepped forward, handing us bags. "That is Jared, Embry, Jacob and Paul." He said, and my eyes lingered on the half-naked Indian that gave Nyle the last bag. He bent down to his height and so he was eye level with Nyle and gave him a kind smile as he handed him the bag. Nyle watched him and was getting ready to run, he was tense and I knew he was getting ready to run until Paul got onto his knees instead of in a crouch. And then he did something that really surprised me. He held out his hand so that Nyle could shake it.

"Hi, I'm Paul" He said in a soft voice, so that he didn't startle him, like he was talking to a wild animal. "I'm Bella's new friend"

"Bella?" he asked, looking at Paul strangely.

"He calls me Izzy" I told them, I looked down at Nyle and then back at the boys in front of me. "Look, how about I take this stuff somewhere and we'll meet you back here in half an hour so that Nyle can finish playing and I can talk to Sam some more" I said, taking control of the situation.

"Okay, half hour" Sam nodded and he walked off, the four of the other men fallowing in Sam's wake. Nyle had the two of the lighter shopping bags and I had four of the heavier one's. I grabbed his two as he climbed to the top and he threw down the rope. I tied the rope around the handles of the shopping bags and threw the end up around the tree a couple of times and then pulled, heaving the bags up and then tying the rope to a root at the base of the trunk. I climbed nimbly up the ladder and then grabbed the bags as I went in.

"Open the coolers" I told Nyle as I sorted through the bags. I found two towels in there, a couple bars of soap, some shampoo, toothpaste, body lotion and a tooth brush. I found clothes in the other bag, only female ones though; there was nothing here for Nyle, nothing he could wear. But there seemed to be twice as much of everything other than clothes, like they knew he was here and gave me extra food. There was plenty of dry food and tinned food, plastic bowls and cutlery, a tin opener, and some washing-up soap, so that I could clean the dishes. There were also drinks, which I put in the cooler, and bottles of water, which could be re-used. Then they had stuff like toilet roll and paper towels, and sleeping bags. We had pillows, but only one blanket, that I mainly gave to Nyle so that he wouldn't freeze; now we didn't have to. It would come in handy for the winter though, when it gets freeing, we could use it for extra instillation. I sorted through the rest of the bags, which contained prepared stuff in tubs that would have to be eaten within the next couple of days that I put in the coolers to keep them fresh, stuff like fruit and salad and cold cuts of meat that also went in the coolers.

I looked at the sky and went to the door. "Come on we have a couple more hours before the sun goes down, how about you play on the swing again and once I've finished talking to my friends, I'll play with you a little, bring the baseball." I told him. He grinned and reached for the ball, going before me and throwing the ball down before he scrambled down and fell from the last wrung in the ladder and landed on his ass. I laughed and followed, falling down next to him which made him laugh.

It was the one time he sounded carefree and like a child; when he laughed. He didn't sound broken, or older then he should be acting. He sounded his age, he sounded five. I pulled him into my lap and clutched him into my chest. It crushed me that he had to live like this; I wouldn't care if it was me, but the fact that Nyle was with me, made me grow up that much faster too. I would forever hate _him_ for taking away any childhood both of us could have had by now.

We walked a little back into the wood towards his tree and found Sam and Paul there, the other two not around anywhere I could see, I listened for another beat or too, and then looked back at Sam and Paul, they both had a calming effect on me and I didn't like it one bit. Humans are creatures of habit, when something changes, its nature to try and change it back. I didn't like having two new people in my life, so I was going to do whatever I could to get the out of it.

I nodded to the swing and bent to kiss him on the head then walked over to the guys. I looked them both in the eyes and then nodded to a patch of grass through the trees where I could still see Nyle on the swing, I sat on the grass, and they sat in front of me with a little gap in the middle.

"So, what can I do for you boys?" I asked, crossing legs and shifting them under me so I was sitting on my ankles, just in case I needed to jump up, or launch myself forward.

"Just wanted to talk" Sam shrugged.

"Why does he call you Izzy when you introduced yourself as Bella?" Paul asked with a frown on his face.

My mouth opened and closed on its own a couple of times; then I smirked slightly and looked down at my hands on my thighs. "Because my father used to call me Bella, or Bells, and I hate it when people call me that now because it just brings back bad memories. That's why he calls me Izzy, I guess the only reason I introduced myself as Bella was on a reflex reaction. As you can see, you don't meet many people out here in the woods." I snorted, and met his eyes a little before shifting them back to me.

"Wait, you said you've been out here since you were thirteen, and he's … how old?" Sam frowned.

"I was nearly fourteen when Ch… _he_ threw me out and Nyle was a week old, Nyle was born 21st February, my birthday was seven months after that, I turned fourteen. I didn't know the first thing about babies, and the only thing in the bag was a little bit of milk, a couple of nappies and a pacifier. I sat with him in the library for ages, using the excuse I was minding him from my mom, while I read, I stole money from people to pay for food for the both of us, and went through hell and back trying to raise him. When he got that little bit older and started walking, I had to put a door on the place we live, so he wouldn't fall out and sleep there, so I had a constant chill on my bag from the little gaps in the door, but I always made sure he had the blanket wrapped tightly around him and a pillow under his head and as much food as I could get in his belly. Thank you by the way, the things you brought meant a lot to us." I told them.

"It was no problem, honest, the clothes where my wives, she was going to throw them out and I told them I would take them to someone who needed them more, she has a little nephew who's grown out of stuff that will fit Nyle if you want. I'm sure he could do with some clothes too?" he said hesitantly, like he didn't want to offend me or something. I nodded.

"Thanks, that would be nice." I said, looking down at my hands and then smiling at Sam.

We talked for a little why after that, turns out Paul was 21 and single and Sam was 23 with a wife who was three months pregnant with their first child. I congratulated him and then said I had to play with Nyle for a couple of hours before the sun went down and we had to go home. When I knew they were out of sight, Nyle and I played until he got sleep and then I made him eat some of the fruit and meat slices, then helped him change and put him to bed, getting in the sleeping bags I had lay out for us. I was sitting in mine; stroking his hair and watching him try and drift off.

"Sis, why didn't daddy want us?" He asked in a sleepy voice, curling up in his sleeping bag.

"I don't know buddy, his loss right? Go to sleep" I told him as I kissed his forehead and pulled the sleeping bag further up his little body and tucking him as best I could.

I was by the window when I heard a little yip. I looked out and saw a silver wolf sitting there, watching me, looking over me. Like _He _should have been, but with the wolf there, I felt oddly safe. I gave him a smile and lay down, tuning my back to the world and going into one of my own, one where, I didn't have to look after my kid brother, one where I would have been in college with a boyfriend. One where, I had a family that loved me, where my dad still wanted me.

One where I wasn't replaced.

_**What do you think? Don't worry, this isn't the end, I just thought it would be right to end it here. I hope it answered some of your questions too, because I didn't want to give too much away either.**_

_**I want your views please; whether they are good or bad, I don't mind. I also apologise for any spelling of grammar mistakes, I was rushing to put this up.**_

_**Thanks**_

_**Tia x**_

_**P.S. **_

_**I also thought I would explain why I put it as M rated, since nothing M has come up.**_

_**There will be some scenes of abuse later on and lemon in the future, but I'll put warnings up with them both, just so you know when to skip if needed.**_


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